Page 67 of Evergreen Christmas

Tucker made a face. “Really? You think I’d do that?”

“He didn’t do it, Daddy,” Roxie said softly. “I saw Ms. Jordyn do it on my own. I told her when we made gingerbread that you should never push down on the top of your house or it’ll fall apart.” She lifted her chin and sniffed, talking through the tears. “I know Ms. Jordyn helped me win. But Uncle Tucker told me that she didn’t win the contest for me. He said my gingerbread house was really good and that in the end, the contest was between me and Angelina Stone and that I won fair and square at that point.” Roxie looked up at Tucker. “Isn’t that right, Uncle Tucker?”

Smiling, Tucker nodded. “That’s right, baby girl. Ms. Jordyn might have bowed out of the competition to help you out, but you’re the one that closed the deal. Your hard work paid off.”

Nate smiled at Tucker, who smiled back at him, then made anI told you soface.

Chuckling softly, Nate lowered his head back against the head rest and rubbed his forehead, stifling a groan. Tucker might not be the most responsible or dependable man when it came to romantic relationships, but one thing Nate would never doubt about him was that he was a wonderful brother and fantastic uncle.

“Now don’t you feel bad about doubting me?” Tucker asked, raising one eyebrow.

Nate rolled his head to the side and smiled. “Yeah. You got me this time.”

“Every time,” Tucker said, smiling wider. “And don’t forget it. Which brings me back to my original point,” he said, returning his attention to Roxie. “There’s a reason Ms. Jordyn did the things she did, Roxie. And now, I’m gonna let your dad tell you all about it while I go inside, grab a hot cup of coffee and warm up. It’s too dang cold to sit out here!”

With that, he opened the passenger-side door, slid out of the truck, then lowered Roxie into the seat he vacated.

After he left, Roxie, her cheeks still wet with tears, looked up at Nate, her eyes full of questions. “What did Uncle Tucker mean, Daddy?”

Nate smiled gently and reached out, wiping her wet cheek with his thumb. “Well, let’s see. Why do you think Ms. Jordyn broke her gingerbread house to give you a chance to win first place in that contest?”

Roxie blinked, then issued a small smile at the memory of her win. “Because she wanted me to win.”

“And why was that?” Nate asked.

Her expression brightened. “Because she likes me. And she wanted me to be happy.”

“Yeah,” Nate said softly. “People make sacrifices for those they care about.”

And for those they love.He bit his lip at the thought, a wave of longing rolling through him.

Nate tipped Roxie’s chin up gently with one knuckle, searching her expression intently as her eyes met his. “And how do you feel about Ms. Jordyn? Do you care about her, too?”

She smiled wide, her whole expression brightening. “I love Ms. Jordyn! She’s nice and pretty and fun and she likes spending time with me.”

Nate laughed softly. Jordyn, it seemed, had already won over Roxie’s heart, too. “And,” he asked slowly, “how would you feel if Ms. Jordyn spent more time with us?”

Roxie fell silent, her brow furrowing as she considered this. “You mean, like if she came over to visit every day? And maybe joined our Christmas team next year?”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “But maybe more than that. Maybe we could invite her to join us more often for things other than just the Christmas competition.”

Roxie scrambled up onto her knees and reached across the front seat, her small hands curling around Nate’s forearm and her eyes lighting up with excitement. “Like, maybe we could have her over for Thanksgiving, too? And for my birthday? And for Uncle Tucker’s birthday and yours?”

Nate chuckled and ruffled her blond hair. “Yes. We could invite her to spend all our important days with us. And we could help celebrate hers as well.”

Roxie nodded eagerly. “I’d really like that, Daddy.”

Nate grinned, the pleasurable swell of excitement and anticipation blooming in his chest, making him want to shout with joy. He looked out the windshield, his eyes refocusing on Macy’s tree, and he was able, for the first time in years, to smile softly at the memory of her and the life they’d shared. The grief and regret were gone now, and something else had taken their place.

He smiled wider. He was free. Free to love again. And free to offer his heart to Jordyn.

Roxie scooted across the driver’s seat, laid her head on his shoulder and smiled at Macy’s tree, too. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it, Daddy?”

“That it is, sweetheart.”

“But Ms. Jordyn’s tree is even more beautiful,” she added softly. “I wish we were there at Chestnut Ridge now with Ms. Jordyn and Star.” She looked up, propping her chin on his shoulder and meeting his eyes. “And I wish we could do something nice for her, like she did for me. She really should’ve kept the Christmas tree award, you know?”

Nate nodded, a slow grin making its way to his lips. “Yeah. And I know just what we can do to make it up to her.”

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